The present invention relates to a brake unit, in particular for use in drum brake systems, and a method for maintaining a brake unit.
Drum brakes with brake units are generally known from the prior art. In this instance, there is provided inside a preferably hollow cylindrical brake drum a brake jaw arrangement which can be spaced apart with a force by means of an actuation unit, wherein the brake jaws are pressed against the inner side of the brake drum. In brake drums known from the prior art, however, it has been found to be disadvantageous that, in order to maintain the brake unit, the brake drum and together therewith in most cases the vehicle wheels or where applicable additionally fitted outboard motors initially have to be disassembled before the wear components of the brake unit become accessible for a fitter. It has further been found that in brake units, in which the brake jaws are pivotably suspended at the first end thereof and at the opposing end are acted on by means of an actuation unit with a force, the assembly and disassembly is complex. Furthermore, as a result of the pivot movement, the brake jaws are not in abutment with the inner side of the brake drum in a uniform manner, in particular also as a result of the effect of the self-reinforcement. There have therefore already been found brake units in which the brake jaws are not pivotably suspended, but instead are guided on the carrier unit, wherein, however, in these brake units, the maintenance, in particular the disassembly and the assembly of the brake system, is particularly complex.
An object of the present invention is to provide a brake unit which can be assembled and disassembled in a particularly simple manner and which at the same time is simple to produce and achieves a sufficiently high brake action, in particular for use in utility vehicles.